Best Cabin Camping near Eldon, MO

Friendly Campground staff, beautiful, clean accommodations. Saltwater pool/hot tub is seasonal, but beyond amazing! A short distance from Bennett Spring State Park where the beauty and serenity of the area continues!

Nestled in the woods just beyond Bennett Springs State Park is just a slice of camping heaven! Lower campground area is just a picture perfect as the campground winds along a section of the Niangua River. Campground supports any type of camping. Upper level has new full service sites. Great Owners run the well stocked store and see to your needs. Camping cabins for rent. Great shower house. Loved this place we will be back soon. Definitely a 12 out of 10!

RANGER REVIEW: I had the opportunity to review the GCI Slim Fold Cook Station. Wow what a great addition! Totally loved it. Spacious room on top. Found it to be pretty stable. Sever hooks for hanging items for quick access. Made from sturdy material. Set up and take down super easy. We used iron grill with it and found it to be a match. Also used as a buffet for feeding larger number. Very versatile . Definite 10

The Lake of the Ozarks Recreation Area (LORA) is a great destination for camping, boating, swimming, water skiing, fishing and other outdoor activities. The lake is one of the Nation's largest man-made lakes, providing you with over 1150 miles of shoreline to enjoy. LORA welcomes Active Duty Military, Retired Military, members of the National Guard and Reserves, DoD employees with ID cards, family members and Fort Leonard Wood contract employees.  Plenty to do and see here.  Boat rentals, hiking, and others mentioned above.  The LORA Country Store carries ice, beverages, firewood and a small selection of food including snacks, milk, eggs and bread. The store also carries the basic necessities needed for camping and fishing, including fishing licenses.  Can rent a tent site, camper site with full or partial hook ups, cabins 1-3 bedroom, etc.  The marina has boat and jet-ski rentals (pontoons, wave runners, jet ski's, ski boats, fishing boats, pontoons, etc.) that are much more reasonable then other rental places in the area. Area is staffed by on-duty MP's out of Fort Leonard Wood.

Asked for a lake view cabin. We were the only ones here since it was a weekday after labor day so all cabins were open. I go to check in and it's a long sidewalk between narrow rails. Not at all easy if you are disabled and with my COPD, I had to stop several times. 

I get cabin 6. If you go here DO NOT GET CABIN 6. It's the only one you can't park in front of as it's down the side of a hill. You must traverse several levels of steps down a steep grade. The office hours are over by now so I hauled what we needed down. 

The lake view was somewhere past the forest so I'll take their word on that.

The refrigerator was filthy and we had no hot water. Since it was after hours all we could do is clean the fridge, make supper and wait till 9 in the morning to call maintenance. 

Maintenance arrives and determine the elements are bad. At about 10:30am they started working. Spent most of our only full day watching them fix the water heater. The maintenance guys were very nice but I'm not leaving my stuff with strangers. 

So basically, I spent $200 to sit on a deck with acorns falling on us or on the world's most uncomfortable couch as they worked on getting me hot water. Early morning fishing was shot.

They did say we could now switch cabins but I would need to move our stuff back up Mt Fk-That just to move it again into the new cabin, then back out again tomorrow. 

It is a lovely area and the people are friendly but they need to do better. Also, warn people that cabin 6 is more cliff side than lake side.

Had a great time in a spacious cabin with full kitchen and bath. Comfortably held 5 of us in one cabin. A little busier than I like, but fun to watch all the fly fisherfolk. Niangua River was gorgeous and so fun to swim in (clear all the way to the bottom). Caught tadpoles with our hands and watched tiny fish. Lots of chiggers was the only downfall. Hiking trails were great with natural bridges and caves. Super fun time!

Great trout fishing including handicapped access for fishing. Limited full hookups for campers but also has cabins for rent

I camped here a year ago and since then they’ve added at least one cabin. It’s still very family friendly and even during the COVID outbreak, they remained positive and helpful.

This is a Military Campground (not quite a FAMCAMP - more a Recreation Area)! They have four areas - tent, water and electric, full hook up and cabins! We have stayed here may times - typically with the full hook ups. It is NOT off I-44 but off US 54. We have stayed up there in March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October!

Been to this place many times.  They keep upgrading the facilities year after year.  Taken our travel trailer (34 feet), water/electric hookup, sewer dump onsite.  Nice store, showers, and beautiful area along the river to relax, float, fish, etc.  Very friendly and accommodating staff.  They have added cabins to rent as well.  Right next door to Bennett Springs, which is awesome trout fishing!!

This is a nice campground. But not if you’re looking to get away from people and get deep into nature. This is mostly a fishing campground. Not a lot to do in the area. Campground is still nice, just close to city and not as nice as other areas in Missouri

After one visit, this became one of my favorite state parks. This is one of Missouri’s’ “trout parks” with a hatchery and release sites so fishing (which actually becomes catching) is a big draw. Bennett Spring is so serious about their fishing they even have a trout cam so you can watch other anglers testing their skills.

When we pulled into the campground and picked out a super sweet paved full hook-up site we let out a sigh of approval and knew we were going to really like it there for a few days. The park has 143 campsites comprised of five loops so there are a wide variety of camping options, from basic to sewer/electric/water sites with some being reserveable to first come, first serve. There are wooded sites and those in the open where you are close enough to the fishing action to watch anglers from your RV. In addition to camping, there are 65 other lodging units which are cabins, duplex/fourplexes, and motel rooms.

We came to camp, fish, and hike but there is also canoeing, floating, a nature center and museum, trout hatchery, dining facilities, a church, Olympic-size swimming pool, and much more. When I wasn’t wading in the water with a wet line, we were walking through the woods. The park has over twenty miles of hiking trails meandering through its 3,216 acres. Trails range from a leisurely walk along the stream to that of rigorous mountain trails that reward hikers with great picturesque views of the Ozark Mountains. Guided ranger-led tours are also available for those wanting a little more information on your walk. The camp store is quite large with everything from food to souvenirs. For Anglers this is where you get your fishing permit and advice on the best lures to use (of which they have a large selection).

One aspect of this park that is so appealing is the historical character that came from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) improvements made back in the 1930’s. They built a dam, arched bridge, cabins and shelters, dining lodge, roads, and trails. The CCC influence is obvious when looking at the dining lodge with its stone and wood exterior and post and beam interior that stands the test of time and emits rustic charm. The dining lodge still performs its original function and is popular among visitors (especially those who want to have their freshly-caught trout prepared for them).

To make a reservation or view campsite details, photos and availability, go to the reservation website by clicking the “Make a Reservation Now” link below. Reservations may also be made by calling toll free 877-ICampMO (877-422-6766). Printable campground maps are available for your reference by clicking on the "Map" links.

Some state parks are remote and have a quiet and tranquil feel. This park has a lot going on so that is probably not the case in the busy summer season. When we were there in early April the park’s campgrounds were pretty empty and quiet and while we really liked that we also liked that there was a lot to do. Our three days passed quickly and we would definitely come back.

Campground sits on 70 acres and includes an 8 acre stocked lake. Boat rental, paddle boats, miniature golf, shuffleboard, volleyball, playground, hiking and a general store.

This is the third time staying here. This time wife and I took our small camper just to get away for the weekend. We stayed in campground one because it is the only one open during the off season. You can make reservations online before going to ensure you have the spot you want. Campground one is in a flat spot down by the water and it is actually rather open and built for large rigs to fit in. If it was full I imagine it would be crowded and not much privacy but because we went in the winter there was only four other campsites taken. We were surprised when we found that there was Wi-Fi available for free at the campground. One negative is we only found one toilet for the entire campground. It wasn't a problem at this time because there was hardly anybody there, but I imagine if you wanted to use the toilet during the regular season you would find yourself with a line or going somewhere else.

The Katy Trail Turner Shelter Hostel is located in Tebbetts, Missouri at mile 131.2. The shelter is open for individuals and groups, including youth groups, using the trail. It is run by the Conservation Foundation of Missouri Charitable Trust. The shelter is two stories with 40 bunk style beds. Guests must bring their own bedding. There are showers, restrooms and a kitchen with a refrigerator and microwave. The cost is$6 per night per person. For groups of 10 or more the cost is$25 plus $2 for each member.

To make a reservation, please call the office at 573-634-2322. They will need your name and phone number for a reservation. For more information on the Katy Trail, visit bikekatytrail.com.

A trout fisher dream, as one of Missouri’s 5 hacherys are here. Fun for this kids to see the amazing amount of fish. Due to rain I didn’t have the opportunity to hit any of the trails, but there are several that vary in length and difficulty.

This state park is one worth a stop when near Springfield. I drove north toward this park to enjoy something a bit different and found it to be very peaceful during a weekday. 

I had traveled here following a busy time and expected to still have some of that lingering noise which hangs out after a big event. But by the time I reached the location it had dwindled out. Leaving behind in the peaceful outdoors were shaded sites that were well placed but slightly trashed. That isn’t the fault of the park but rather of the people who did not pick up after themselves. 

After a little tidying of my site, I was home for the night in a nice tent site. I took a tour of the grounds and noticed that the showers were nice, the water was great in pressure and hot!! Restrooms were well maintained and even after the weekend they had already done their maintenance and had them looking very nice!! 

Something else to note when traveling is cell service. With AT&T I had 3 bars of service, something which I was very uncertain of after driving to the location had been spotty in some areas. 

The campground runs alongside a waterway and it was nice to enjoy around dusk the sounds of the water. I would have taken a dip in it had I not arrived so late in the evening, it looked so perfect for just dipping the toes in. Also I could see this being a great place to launch a small boat or kayak. 

Nearby camp is one of the larger hatcheries in the state which you can visit during certain hours and see how they work to diligently populate the waterways and lakes in Missouri, pretty cool process and information. Definitely recommend!!